Sunday, June 17, 2007

Identity

At McLean Bible Church our pastor is doing a series on "Identity" for our Frontline community. As a 20's to 30's community we tend to look at the world around us from a wider lens. We are also a generation with a desire to make a difference...and I truly believe we are. Yet, I also believe that as we seek to make a difference our Identity should be sure. Listening to Lon's sermon I am challenged to examine my Identity.

I identify with Christ. I John 4:10 "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." Jesus is the Son of God and that reality alone is the bedrock of who I am.


I can identify with McLean Bible church because their core values are in direct submission to the authority of Christ. Lon made some bold statements regarding where our church stands on controversial issues. Specifically his sermon mentioned abortion and homosexuality. The Bible states that Christ is the head of the Church. If we submit to Christ individually and as a church our stand will be in oposition to the worldview, but we must be set apart. I John 2 states, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." The Bible is very clear regarding the consequences of loving the world. It leads to death, which ultimately is separation from God. If a lifestyle or action leads away from God, we need to point the way back to Him. We are instructed to not love "the world", but we must touch individual lives. Time and time again Jesus reached out to those caught in a detrimental lifestyle and turned them toward God.

Lon's sermon also referenced the emergent church. This phenomenon is directed at our generation. Please note the distinction between emergent and emerging. Emerging focuses on changing methodology, but not the message. Emergent is an attempt to break down and redefine the doctrine of the Church. We must be sure of our Identity and not waiver regarding our message. The methodology can change (Frontline is a method), yet our message must stay true to God's authority. Lon will explore this in greater detail over the next two weeks.

Now that you have my view...what is yours? Where should our Identity be? What is our stand to be on controversial issues? What is our stand to be on the emergent church?

Saturday, June 16, 2007

line in the sand


Each of us has a line in the sand. Our lines may signify different experiences, but we all have points in our lives when we draw our line and refuse to move. These lines are where our reality ends and faith begins. Stepping over the line brings us into a relationship with God that is alive and real.


Last weekend I had the joy of going on a retreat with 16 random people. We are preparing to travel halfway around the world on a short-term missions trip. The weekend was amazing. One of our leaders shared a devotion on laying our burdens down. After the devotion we went out on the beach with stones signifying our burdens. Before returning our assignment was to do business with God and toss our stones into the ocean. I remember standing on the water's edge with a load that I had carried for months. I drew my line in the sand and stood toe to toe with God. After much prayer I let go and hurled my stone into the ocean. The huge vast ocean swallowed up my tiny insignificant stone. God's love is that way...in the grand scheme of life His love will swallow us up. It will forgive our sin, cancel out the debt we owe, and overwhelm us with new life.


"You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you." Nehemiah 9:6